Volkswagen Uses Sinatra’s ‘My Way’ to Great Effect in Schizophrenic New Ad

Beating the odds in Vegas

Adam&eveDDB once again gambles on an unconventional approach for Volkswagen in this new U.K. spot, which offers cornball renditions of "My Way," including one performed on pan pipes, for the first 40 seconds (more than half its running time) while keeping the Golf GTI out of sight. Then—badda bing!—Frank Sinatra's iconic version of the song kicks in, and the car's in every freaking frame, zipping around the Las Vegas strip and hot wheelin' on the roof of the Treasure Island Hotel & Casino. This segue from weird home-video/YouTube fodder to big-bucks commercial glitz could've been jarring, but is handled so smoothly that it pays off in an ad that's different enough to be memorable without seeming ridiculous. There's a making-of clip for viewers who wish to double down. Also, have a look back at adam&eveDDB's VW spot from last month, when it really hit the jackpot with an unusual and compelling commercial highlighting the automaker's fuel-saving start/stop technology.